The present invention relates to an apparatus for printing machines. More specifically, the invention relates to gear mounting arrangement.
The features of the present invention are useful for use in machines with gear trains. One such is type of machine is a printing machine, for example, electrophotographic printing machines.
In the process of electrophotographic printing, a photo-conductive surface is charged to a substantially uniform potential. The photoconductive surface is image wise exposed to record an electrostatic latent image corresponding to the informational areas of an original document being reproduced. This records an electrostatic latent image on the photoconductive surface corresponding to the informational areas contained within the original document. Thereafter, a marking material such as toner particles is transported into contact with the electrostatic latent image in a region known as the development zone. Toner particles are attracted from the magnetic roller to the latent image. The resultant toner powder image is then transferred from the photoconductive surface to a copy sheet and permanently affixed thereto. The foregoing generally describes a typical mono-color single component development electrophotographic copying machine.
Machines often include rotating members which are typically rotated by a motor and a series of gears which are connected to the motor in the form of a transmission or series of gears, each gear being mounted independently on a shaft. Gear mounting arrangements are thus found on many machines of all types. Xerographic copying and printing machines typically utilize a large number of gears. The gears are used to drive the paper handling of the machine as well as, for example, the development and cleaning stations of the xerographic process.
The gears are required to be mounted to housings within the machines. Gears typically are mounted on metal shafts extending from the housing. The shafts are typically welded to the housings and the shafts include the E-rings to secure the gears.
The use of E-rings is very costly in that the E-groove is very costly to machine into the shafts. Further, the E-rings are difficult and expensive to manufacture. Furthermore, the E-rings are difficult to assemble onto the E-ring grooves of the shaft and are very difficult to disassemble from the E-ring grooves, particularly when servicing a machine in the field.
The following disclosures may be relevant to various aspects of the present invention:
U.S. Pat. No. 5,049,944 discloses an apparatus and method for applying offset preventing liquid to a fuser roll including an oil impregnated web member adapted to be moved by a motor from a supply core to a take up core; and a control to vary the duty cycle operation of the motor to drive the web member at a relatively constant liner speed at a contact nip, the control including a timer to monitor the cumulative time of operation of the motor and to progressively decrease the duty cycle of the motor in response to the cumulative time of operation wherein the progressively decreased duty cycle of operation compensates for the increasing radius of the web member on the take up core to maintain the relatively constant linear speed at the contact nip.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,045,890 discloses a fuser apparatus for heat fusing toner images to a print substrate has a fuser roll and a pressure roll forming a fusing nip therebetween, a system to deliver liquid release agent to the fuser roll including a movable web having a first side and a second side supported between a web supply roll and a web take-up roll, a housing supporting the supply roll and take-up roll such that one of the supply and take-up rolls is on one side of the fuser roll and the other is on the other side of the fuser roll and the first side of the movable web is in contact with the fuser roll along a path parallel to its longitudinal axis. The movable web is impregnated with a liquid release agent and the movable web, supply roll and take-up roll are reversibly mounted in the housing to deliver liquid release agent to the fuser roll initially from the first side of the movable web followed by reversing the location of the supply roll and take-up roll in the support housing so that the second side of the impregnated web is in contact with the fuser roll to deliver release agent. The movable web is urged into delivery engagement with the fuser roll by an open celled foam pinch roll impregnated with liquid release agent.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,435,074 discloses a lubricant film applied to the drum to maintain the coefficient of friction between the drum and blade constant and thereby ensure efficient cleaning after a photosensitive drum is cleaned of residual toner by a scraper blade. The film forming material is in the form of a block and is applied to the drum by a rotary brush. The brush is selectively moved into and out of engagement with the drum to control the amount of film application. The engagement of the brush with the drum is controlled in accordance with a sensed parameter such as a number of copies produced, the coefficient of friction between the drum and a sensor blade, etc.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,089,600 discloses a corona discharger includes a shield and a discharge wire extended between opposed ends of the shield and supported between its ends. The position of the wire is adjustable to control the distance between the wire and a surface of a member to be subjected to the corona discharge and a spring is arranged to maintain tension on the discharge wire regardless of the position of adjustment of the wire.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,883,240 discloses an electrophotographic copying machine which includes a housing, an original holder reciprocable upon the upper surface of an electrophotographic photosensitive member unit that includes an electrophotographic photosensitive member mounted for rotation at substantially the center of the housing. Charging apparatus is mounted on one side of the electrophotographic photosensitive member and an optical system for effecting exposure through a slit and developing apparatus is provided. Fixing apparatus and cleaning apparatus are disposed on the other side of the electrophotographic photosensitive member. Copy medium feeding elements and image transfer members are disposed below the electrophotosensitive member, and the electrophotosensitive member unit is mounted in the housing so as to be removable upwardly therefrom.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,784,297 discloses an electrophotographic copying machine of this invention has an original holder reciprocating on the upper surface of an electrophotographic photosensitive member which is rotatably fixed to the supporting device therefor. The charging device is arranged on one side of the photosensitive member. The copying machine further includes optical system for slit exposure, developing device, fixing device and cleaning device, which are arranged on the other side of the photosensitive member. Copy sheet feeding device, image transfer device are also arranged below the photosensitive member.
In accordance with one aspect of the present invention, there is provided a mounting apparatus for mounting a rotating element to a housing. The housing defines an opening through a wall of the housing. The mounting apparatus includes a tube including an aperture therethrough. The tube includes a first tube portion thereof including a cylindrical outer periphery and a second tube portion thereof. connected to the first tube portion and securable to the opening through the wall of the housing. The mounting apparatus further includes a cap including a body portion thereof having a body outer periphery thereof matingly fitted to the aperture of the tube. The cap further includes a flange extending outwardly from a first end of the body portion in a direction perpendicular to the body outer periphery of the body portion of the cap. The cap further including a connector extending from a second end of the body portion opposed to the first end. The connector is utilized for connecting the cap to the tube.
In accordance with another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a mounting apparatus for mounting a gear to a cylindrical opening through a wall of a housing for use in a printing machine. The mounting apparatus includes a cylindrical tube defining an aperture therethrough. The tube includes a first tube portion thereof including a cylindrical outer periphery and a shoulder extending inwardly from one end of the cylindrical outer periphery. The tube further includes a cylindrical stem extending perpendicularly from the shoulder in a direction opposed to the first tube portion. The cylindrical tube has an outer periphery thereof matingly fittable with the cylindrical opening. The cylindrical tube also has a distal end further including a lip extending outwardly from the outer periphery of the cylindrical stem. The lip is formed by spin riveting the tubing to the wall of the housing; The mounting apparatus further includes a cap including a body portion having an outer periphery thereof matingly fitted to the aperture of the cylindrical tube. The cap further includes a flange extending outwardly from a first end of the body portion in a direction perpendicular to the outer periphery of the body portion of the cap. The cap further includes a pliable lip extending from a second end of the cap in a direction perpendicular to the outer periphery of the body portion of the cap. The lip has a first, constrained position for permitting the lip to be fitted within the aperture of the cylindrical tube and a second relaxed position for permitting the lip to secure the cap to the cylindrical tube.
In accordance with yet another aspect of the present invention, there is provided an electrophotographic printing machine of the type having a mounting apparatus for mounting a gear to a cylindrical opening through a wall of a housing. The mounting apparatus includes a tube including an aperture therethrough. The tube includes a first tube portion thereof including a cylindrical outer periphery and a second tube portion thereof connected to the first tube portion and securable to the opening through the wall of the housing. The mounting apparatus further includes a cap including a body portion thereof having a body outer periphery thereof matingly fitted to the aperture of the tube. The cap further includes a flange extending outwardly from a first end of the body portion in a direction perpendicular to the body outer periphery of the body portion of the cap. The cap further including a connector extending from a second end of the body portion opposed to the first end. The connector is utilized for connecting the cap to the tube.
In accordance with a further aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method for mounting a rotating element to a wall of a housing. The method includes the steps of preparing an opening through the wall, placing a hollow tube into the wall, spin riveting the tube to the wall, placing the rotating element over the hollow tube, inserting a cap into the hollow tube and securing the cap to the hollow tube.